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Thursday, 12 February 2015

The Duchess of Cambridge visited the home of Ben Ainslie Racing and The 1851 Trust in Portsmouth, Hampshire this afternoon.

The Cambridges recently returned from a two-week holiday on the Caribbean island Mustique where they enjoyed a relaxed vacation with Michael, Carole, Pippa and James Middleton. Kate looked tanned and rested as she arrived for today's engagement.

Since her return, Kate has been diving back into her royal role, carrying out two private engagements. On Tuesday, the Duchess made a private visit to Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School in Beckenham, Kent where she met children suffering from mental health problems. It was said to be a lovely treat for children who met Kate with the Duchess even strumming out some chords on a ukulele. Yesterday HRH attended a reception as patron of The Royal Foundation to discuss its support of palliative care hospices for children.

Today's visit combines Kate's passion for sailing with official duties. Last October the Duchess became patron of the 1851 Trust, the charitable arm of the UK team's bid to bring the America's Cup back to Britain. The organisation plans to work with under 25's to inspire and encourage a new generation to get involved.

When the patronage was announced the Palace released the following statement from Kate:

'I am delighted to be Royal Patron of The 1851 Trust. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed sailing from a young age and I know it is a great way of providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills and confidence.

It is a hugely exciting time for sailing as the British challenger bids to bring the America's Cup back to Britain. I am looking forward to being part of this journey and I hope that through the 1851 Trust we can engage and inspire a new generation into sailing along the way.'

Kate attended a breakfast reception for the trust last June. Below we see her with Sir Ben Ainslie.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Kate viewed progress on the new home of the trust and viewed an art project by the local community.

Kate viewed a gorgeous mural painted by local schoolchildren.

The 1851 Trust Twitter Feed

'No Man's Land Fort' was painted for the trust and has been featured in the very popular Dr. Who!

The 1851 Trust Twitter Feed

Kate put the finishing touches to the mural and managed to avoid splashing paint on her ivory coat. She revealed she was painting with Prince George yesterday and said he loves it.

More from Richard Palmer's story:

The Duchess painted in five crewmen, including Sir Ben, on a picture of a racing yacht, concentrating on depicting their bottoms hanging out over the side of the boat.

"Make it accurate," Sir Ben told her, as she painted in his bottom.

Art teacher James Waterfield from Park Community School in Leigh Park, Havant, stood alongside the Duchess as she did her painting."I was so worried about getting paint on her fantastic white coat," he said."She told me she was painting yesterday with baby George and she should have brought him down because he loves doing all of this."

Kate met Portsmouth community members involved with the Ben Ainslie Racing project and to view exhibits destined for the Visitor Centre for the Trust at the team’s Portsmouth headquarters, opening in July 2015. The Duchess was delighted to receive a miniature Ben Ainslie kit for Prince George.

Kate gave the Ben Ainslie power grinder a go.

Ben Ainslie Racing Twitter Feed

Kate looks up the virtual rig 'Rita' on a 3D simulator.

Kensington Palace Twitter Feed

Following Kate's visit today, the iconic tourist attraction will open to the general public. Soaring proudly above Portsmouth harbour, the Spinnaker Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers, commanding the attention of all who encounter it. The unmissable 170m tall viewing tower offers visitors spectacular 350° panoramic views and a different perspective on one of the most fascinating seascapes on earth.

'A feminine shift dress crafted with short elbow sleeves, this opulent design features a beautiful figure-skimming fit, a flattering round neckline and a subtly tapered bodice for added elegant appeal. The dress is finished with a delicate all-over print that boasts little red sailboats with white sails for a dainty aesthetic.'

I thought it a stellar look for the Duchess today. The coat suited her perfectly and the sailboat print dress and navy shoes and accessories were a lovely nod to the nature of the visit. One would imagine quite a bit of thought went into this ensemble.

195 comments:

She looks absolutely stunning. Love that the coat is so elegant! This version of coat is so flattering to her pregnancy, much better than the short, boxy coats she had during her first pregnancy! And how adorable with the sailboat print!! Notice she took the coat of indoors :P

It's nice to see Kate bac, glowing and in such a happy condition. Her white coat is beautiful. I have a feeling that Princess Eugenie could well be chosen as a godmother to the new Royal baby. It's just a thought. Well, I will have to wait and see...Greeting to my Pompey friends in Portsmouth! I've spent many holidays there and I love this town.

Don't hate it. Don't love it. Just meh, for me. I think Im finding the cut bulky and heavy looking on her. The length seems to be making her lower leg look larger as well. For me, a slightly shorter or longer length would lengthen her calf. Perhaps a navy stocking would amp up the wow factor for me too. Nude stockings can be so matronly depending on the outfit. That being said, it doesn't matter how she looks as long as she's comfortable at this stage in her pregnancy. She does look lovely regardless.

She looks perfect, as usual. I really like how she dresses to reflect the theme of the day's visit--flattering to the nature of her visit. Kudos to her for frequently wearing 'repeats,' particularly with her shoes and purses. She is a straight-up woman and a person to be admired!

I love the coat! And the whole outfit, but the coat is probably one of my favorites, at least my favorite during this pregnancy. But then again, I really like white in general, it's so elegant. The coat looks really different on Eugenie though - somehow loose and doesn't fit her very well, or what do you think? Anyway, lovely to see Kate out and about, seemed like a successful visit, thank you for the post Charlotte :)

I'm happy to see her out. She looks to be feeling good, happily. Her outfit is a typical Kate outfit- nothing noteworthy. She looks pretty, as usual. I've come to the conclusion that she's really just not overly concerned with sartorial matters because she always wears very common, basic looks. It's not like she does timeless or elegance or glamourous (like Princess Mary, Charlotte Casiraghi or Queen Letizia-- and those women having amazing looks isn't because of their "rank" (like as Queen) or whatever, it's just who they are as women). I mean you can go buy a basic dress coat and printed dress in any chain store. I don't think she is interested in being fashionable or a fashion icon, which is certainly fine, but I guess I expected her to and it's just taken me time to realize that. For a long time I thought she was trying and missing the mark, but rather, I don't think she's trying- she puts on a basic outfit (dress coat and print dress, typically) and goes and does her bit and that’s her. Another thing that really drove the point home to me looking at these pictures today is that I can see her roots. I don’t care that I can see her roots but that’s part of what lead me to the epiphany today, looking at these pictures, that I don’t think she cares about all this stuff. I think she likes hanging out with her family, being active and everything else is just something she has to do, from time to time. It probably what makes her well-suited to be William’s partner. I think he’s the same way. I think they’d love to just live their privileged lives privately—the problem is of course that his privilege comes from a position as a public figure/servant and therefore a lack of privacy (and also the desire by their public to fit a certain image).

I believe Kate's roots have to do with her pregnancy. She often gets a vegetable wash before events, but it's just that, a wash not a touch up. It's well known that Kate doesn't dye her hair during pregnancy, you can tell that from the greys she gets when she doesn't have a wash in.

I agree RWH. I think she was pigeon-holed as a fashion icon b/c she was a new princess and she's beautiful to boot, but I don't think she is one. Which is totally fine. I still like to see her pictures though!

You are limited in what you can do with color when pregnant. She actually has done a much better job of keeping her gray hair covered and her overall color better matched this pregnancy compared to her first. She has found a non toxic way to do her color. Ali

i agree that I don't think she cares that much, but I will say on the roots issue that many people believe it is bad to dye your hair while pregnant. I remember seeing a few roots when she was pregnant with George, and afterwards her hair went back to being touched up.

What her roots suggest to me is that her priority is her unborn child. And to that I say AMEN. I'd be disappointed if I *didn't* see them at this point.

Regarding her wardrobe... there have been hits and misses, like all women have. She pulls out the McQueen when the occasion warrants it, but her role isn't about being a fashion icon for our entertainment. I see a woman who isn't making it about her clothes and I give her credit for that given her position and resources.

Okay, explain to me how someone who is very matchy matchy with her event is not concerned with her clothes? If she really wasn't concerned - why the theme dressing? I'll say what a lot of people are thinking but are too polite to say (shout out to anon up there in the thread!) -- Kate's theme dressing comes off as juvenile.

Really Moxie? I see it as a fun way to pay homage to the place/occasion. Not too serious but a hint, or a talking point. In Australia and NZ those gestures were really appreciated. Being fun or whimsical is not the same as being juvenile. It's not like she wore a sailboat facinator, it was small sailboats that without looking close looks like squares.

Maryland Moxie - I have never understood why Catherine devotees believe she is not very interested in fashion or shopping when all the signs suggest the opposite. Some will admit she shops a lot but claim it is only because it relieves stress. If it were true that she does not really enjoy shopping or clothes or only does it to relieve stress then she would not have gone shopping and purchased a new silk beach coverup and hat (and possibly other items we did not see) within the first few days of arriving on Mustique.

So of course she spends time planning, coordinating and shopping for her 'work' outfits. If reports about her only having one person to help with wardrobe are true (who also has other administrative duties), then Catherine must do most of it herself because one part-time wardrobe helper can only accomplish so much. And that, I contend is what Catherine prefers.

There's a difference between saying someone isn't very interested in fashion (and I don't think it applies to Kate nor do I think people are suggesting that) and saying she doesn't want the emphasis to be on her wardrobe (so she doesn't stir up old vibes in the Firm).

I also do not believe there have been an excessive amount of "shopping sightings" as people suggests. She's a woman and she shops. Big deal. :) Don't we all? She's young, has different roles to fulfill, a husband and baby to shop for, two homes to furnish, family and friends to buy gifts for, and money isn't a problem. I honestly don't understand the fuss.

I love Kate's style during her second pregnancy. I do prefer these coats that still accentuate the middle above the one's she wore during first pregnancy. She looks lovely. At times I find myself wondering what she will look like with a shorter and lighter haircut. Shoulder length perhaps. Wonder if she will cut it one day.

I do agree Kate looks lovely and healthy. In fact, she doesn't look very pregnant until you see a "side" view. I also wish she would have her hair trimmed. Even though she has gorgeous hair, it is not very flattering when women reach their thirties and beyond. Carole Middleton is a good example. She keeps her hair just touching her shoulders and when she lets it grow longer than that, it is not very flattering and a rather desperate attempt to look young(er).

I am quite confused when people say a woman in her thirties should not have long hair. 30s is still quite young and I see nothing wrong with long hair. I agree there are times when Kate's get too long and draws her face down. But as a whole I see nothing wrong with long hair for a 33 year young woman. There is something so nice about long hair. Carol is a 60 year old woman and looks better with short hair. If Kate were 60 I would understand, but she is still young and should enjoy her long hair.

I agree that it seems odd that there is an age limit on long hair. My mom is 45 and she looks great in long hair. Doesn't need to be girly, just personal taste.... Seems a little weird that someone else should dictate an age for cutting your hair! And 30 is young (coming from a 20year old). Yes, when we lived to 40, 30 was old. But nowdays she's maybe lived 1/3 of her life.... Seems a little sad being "old" for the rest....

I think a hair length has little to do with age but more to do with a woman's face and type of hair. I know several women over sixty with the most gorgeous long silver hair of which Im totally envious, and Im no where near their age.

Or maybe, you know. Because SHE likes it. Sorry, this is not meant solely to you, just the last drop for me. So tired of the she is probably staying at home because William likes it, she is wearing skirts, having long hair etc because her husband likes it. What kind of freaky, old time world does that come from?! I am 20 year old and none of my friends (at least the non-pushover ones) chooses their looks based on one guy. That thinking is really screwed up! Sorry for the rant, but I can't stand these kinds of comments. Makes me squirm.

She has a great head of hair. I agree with you that I have wondered same. She would look great and have same "look" with her hair shoulder length? She could still pull it up in a pony tail or upswept, but it could look great at a shorter length [less high school - college girl].

And I know she gets flack for being a patron of the 1851 Trust, and some see it as frivolous, but heck...if I were a royal this is totally the kind of thing I would want to be a patron of. It can't all be doom and gloom and sick children, and she loves sailing, and I think her face just comes alove when she is involved in this. So I say "you go, girl"

Although she looks elegant and glowing, i am not sure if this is not too matchy matchy for me. The colour scheme and print are such obvious choices that i am quite bored. I know many like these 'nods', for me it's a bit too unimaginative.

The roots of her hair bothered me as well. Option 1: no time between holiday and this visit. Option 2: doesn't care. Option 3: doesn't want to use chemical products during pregnancy (although the roots seem younger). Option 4?

Pregnant women should not use chemicals on their hair while pregnant. I am sure that if she wanted to get her hair dyed she would make th etime. It might also not be a big deal to her right now. Why do people always have to find something negative about her appearance? She was stuuning yesterday.

nice look . I do think the coat pulls up in front as it is not a maternity coat. As long as she chooses not not wear custom outfits or maternity outfits the gap will occur and it is OK. Not finishied by OK.

Disagree, love her hair and long hair does get in your face sometimes, but actually except for very short hair all lengths from the chin down get in ones face. The only way to keep it off your face is a ponytail, the front pulled back or a bun. All of which have there own issues :)

Right on the nose! She frequently integrates such thoughtful colors, fabrics, designers as motifs that reflect the organization/visit theme! I'll bet she asks and gets lots of fun suggestions & discussions about this with her close staff & mom/sister. Love the elegance of the weight coat with the classic sapphire/diamond jewelry. It's become such a signature of the HRH, folds in the elegance of Diana, and accomplishes a total "brand" look for the upper royal ladies of the BRF.

HRH looks phenomenal and has carried this pregnancy (is this a pun?) beautifully. I know what can of worms the following can open up but I'm mentioning it simply as a closer observer who has been noticing this in the last few appearances: she looks (even more) healthy than in her last pregnancy and has gained decidedly less weight than she did with George at this stage in the pregnancy. It's amazing to me, but in her last trimester she looks like a NORMAL slender, not pregnant woman (belly exempted, of course)! Moreover, this is my impression through photographs, which we all know add on tremendous weight–all this means that in person she simply looks like a really fit, slender woman with a ball under her dress!! S

Agree she looks healthier but to me she also looks heavier than she did with George. I do not think she lost as much weight in the first three months with this pregnancy as she did with George. She was better prepared. Ali

Wonderful coat but not a very thoughtful choice: she was going to the event that involved painting and people working there would obviously feel worried about splashing paint on her coat. Why make anyone uneasy when she has so many dark coats that would have eliminated the problem? Kate appears not to put much thought into what she does. Princess Diana picked a brightly coloured dress to wear to the children event even though the dress has been criticized as hideously looking by adults but she wore it because children loved it. Kate wears black to children's charity, bright pink to World Trade Center Memorial and white to the painting event.

I don't think Kate would care one bit if she got paint on it. She didn't the last time she got paint on her, just laughed. Got paint splatter in her face, laughed. Wore a light coat on easter, kneeled in the grass playing with George etc.

On the last part. My arguments,Black with children: Children don't care what you wear, they care that you're there!Pink WTC: The point of the memorial seem to be to look forward. That + prior important people wearing colour leads me to think that colourful was exactly the right way to go.

And yes, royalfan, if people were uneasy, they would have been uneasy with any coat colour.What about white paint?if there was white paint - which is used a lot to paint sailing boats! - then the thoughtless coat would be dark!

Going out on a limb here but I'm guessing Kate doesn't have to throw her coat into the washer if it gets a spot on it. Not every hire on William and Kate's staff is made public, only the high-profile hires (nanny, PR, PA, etc.) are, the folks above stairs who are likely to be seen with the royals. The below-stairs folks, the folks who cook, clean, do the laundry, gardening, driving, etc. (and please don't kid yourselves for a minute to think this isn't how the Cambridges think, this is their world, how William was raised, what Kate and Carole strove for Kate to be part of) aren't announced to the media when they're hired. Will and Kate have plenty of help to take care of the laundry, ironing, etc. That's not a criticism of The Immaculate Kate, just a comment.

Please stop with the insistence that only bright colors can be worn around children. If that's the case, then my child and most of the other children I know will be stunted because their mothers - all of us - wear black, brown or gray (or even, gasp, WHITE), occasionally. I'm fairly sure that children can handle exposure to a non-primary color.

Incidentally, if you look at the support staff of the various children's charities that Kate visits, many of them can be seen wearing black, gray or navy too.

Thank you, anon 16.31. I myself dress colourful, but I doubt that I would be a better mother someday based on that. Oh, the poor kids of this day, living with all these un-thoughtful parents exposing them to these dark colours.... The humanity!

I don't mind the sailboat print. Kate's style is very pedestrian. Maybe she will step it up after Wm becomes Prince of Wales. Charlene of Monaco wore a very chic Akris dress with a car print to the Monaco Grand Prix a few years ago. http://perezhilton.com/tag/princess_charlene/#.VN5Vw_nF9Iw

Loved the coat, but the sailboat pattern was definitely cheesy and juvenile. I don't care if the queen or other princesses or anyone else does it too, or how big or small the pattern is, it's still tacky and not in good taste. If Kate was visiting a bakery, would she wear a dress with donuts printed on it? If she were visiting an animal shelter, would she wear earrings with little kittens on them? Same principle.

And that is YOUR opinion, Anon 23.05. You don't have the right to state it as facts. I find it very sweet and I love it. Am I tacky then? Saying things like dressing a certain (very dignified, non reveling) way is tacky, THAT is juvenile in my opinion.. I find those gestures really nice. When they were at the NBA she wore alligator/crocodile earrings because they were there in support of the Tusk fund or one of Williams wildlife patronages. I find those things a very thoughtful hint to the hosts. As I said, it's never bold or costume-y. It is subtle and thoughtful. What do you want her to wear? Let her have fun with it without stiffs putting her down!

Given the "popularity" of the last couple of dresses Kate wore (the brown and navy dresses), I am surprised this one didn't get more favorable reviews. It wasn't short or tight, as some folks suggested with the last two, and the pattern wasn't over the top. It was subtle and fun. IMO anyway. :)

This coat was an incredibly flattering choice for Kate. My only quibble (and it's more noticeable on Eugenie than on the Kate) is that you can see where the snaps/buttons on the inside of the coat are sewed in. I'm always surprised at what I would consider to be sub-par finishing on such expensive pieces!

Pretty coat, cute print on the dress. What I wonder about is how the navy shoes/clutch looked with the dress, which is described as black and red? We've sen her pair black accessories with navy clothes and debated how they look together. Wonder if the dress is more of a midnight - a shade between black and super dark navy that I found hard to match with either hue.

I think Kate looks wonderfull. I love the new coat and the dress is great too. Very good choice! She does look relaxed and I am glad she only has a light tan. Guess she went for a higher sun protection factor and stayed in the shade most of the time (with little George!).

Thank you so much for all your hard work, Charlotte. I've really appreciated all your posts this year - they're such a treat! We've had such an unhealthy 2015 that your posts are like rays of sunshine! :o)

Catherine looked absolutely lovely today! Such an appropriate coat and dress for the events she was attending. While I'm delighted when she pulls out all the stops (like her stunning gown at Sun Military Awards), I really enjoy how her sartorial choices reflect the organization(s) she is visiting; a very thoughtful, subtle tribute to those to whom she comes in contact.

I also like the idea of Catherine having several engagements in one day. (I believe Sophie also does this.) By grouping visits together, Catherine can focus on them for the entire day, and then spend entire days with Prince George.

What a lovely coat. I loved it when Princess Eugenie wore it at Christmas. I have to give all the credit to her. I am sure Kate saw her wear it on Christmas and fell in love with it to and bought it. It is fun seeing Kate copy someone else. I think this coat will look better on her when not pregnant personally. A nice coat to own and all the credit on this one goes to Eugenie.

Otherwise, I have to say this outfit was predictable. It was a sailing event, so I already knew she was going to wear white and blue (which she did). Very obvious. The dress with the sailboats is cute, but I feel she is getting a bit into costume-land with it. Yes it is a nautical event, but I think she making her outfit choice too obvious. Just my thoughts.

I personally doubt HRH saw or paid attention to what Eugenie was wearing. We don't know how long HRH has owned this coat, it's possible she bought it first! I think she looked amazing and I hope she is able to rest a bit- she looks tired, and don't give me that she was on a holiday for two weeks- she as a child under the age of two---nanny or not- the "terrible two's" can start early and we know PG has a ton of energy.

Anon at 23:43 - while obviously having a toddler and being pregnant is tiring, it's much less tiring when not only are you on holiday for two weeks, but you have a nanny, a husband, and multiple other family members there to help you, not to mention a villa with 5 staff-members to do all of your cooking and cleaning. So if she's tired after that, then she's lucky she's not leading the life of most pregnant women with a toddler. Anyways, I don't think she's tired (obviously just my opinion). I think it's just her weight gain making the bags under her eyes more prominent. It's common with pregnant women.

I think she looks lovely. She has a very natural and low key/classic look. As far as I'm concerned she rarely makes a bad choice and even those are far better than most people in the public eye. I applaud her for the way she has adapted to the media scrutiny. To me she seems to make an effort to pick clothing that is flattering but not over the top. I think she genuinely wants to bring attention to the organizations she is visiting rather than all about her appearance.

This is where I think a maternity coat would be better suited. . .the difference of hem length from front to back is unfortunate given that she doesn't have to have it. . .many pregnant women wear their normal coats because they don't have a budget to buy special coats. . .but Kate, has the budget! So why not? Why buy this coat that will be too large later on? Don't get it. . .this is why there is maternity clothing! Also she has looked so fab in her previous maternity pieces.

The dress however is better suited to her shape than the coat. Also great nautical nod in the print.But the black dress, with the navy shoes & clutch. . .don't lend themselves to smooth glance.

I was wondering the same thing! Kate seems to buy a lot of duplicate items and I always wonder why. She has a huge budget AND the kind of life where she has the occasions to wear pretty things. So I wonder what her strategy is?

To be clear, I like her and like her clothes, but I'm at the point in life where I'm trying to be more strategic about wardrobe choices (30s). So when I look at Kate, I have to wonder: why this white coat when she has the gorgeous white flared McQueen, the white double breasted coat she wore to William's RAF wings ceremony, and the white Goat coat? There's nothing wrong with another white coat, it's just that this one seems like it's just like the others?

Anyway, I guess we all tend to buy and wear the same types of things, but I always wonder about Kate since she is in the public eye.

She also has a lot of similar looking green coats too. Can anyone think of any others?

Her size is completely different when 7 1/2 months pregnant. She could not fit into those other coats even with alterations. This coat has probably been altered a bit, but easier to downsize a large size than to go up a size. The hem to me looks adjusted, not completely doing away with the bump but way better than it would be with out the hem being adjusted. Her bump is plenty large to cause the hem to be at least 4 inches shorter in the front.

I kinda wondered the same thing. Probably not...they don't seem particularly close? Besides, if I were Eugenie, I don't think I would have the confidence/ ego bruising to loan my non- maternity coat to someone 7 months pregnant!;)

Kate does share with her mother and sister. Maybe she and Eugenie are close? And if you're Eugenie, maybe you're ok with it because Kate's so tall, so that means she needs a bigger size??? Just thinking out loud here.

Philly agree. Also why does anyone assume she knew what coat Eugenie wore? I suspect she does not read anything related to Royal "news". If she did can not imagine it was a "dig", that is so middle school. Most women over 14 are not that petty and very few are even before age 14 :) Ali

Kate's and Eugenie's coats are definitely two different sizes. Look at the shoulders!

Maryland Moxie, I come from a hyper critical family environment, and I grew up seing almost only negativity everywhere.I managed to grow out of it, and my life got so much better.I'm telling you not as criticism, but because I'm sensitive on the subject. Don't see negativity everywhere.

Philly,I'm sure you are aware of the family curtsy fight: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9351571/The-Queen-tells-the-Duchess-of-Cambridge-to-curtsy-to-the-blood-princesses.htmlThe blood princesses can be a bit fussy about the royals by marriage. There was a report of Kate being less then kind to the York sisters before she married William.

I highly, highly doubt that this was meant as any sort of dig at Eugenie. If Kate happened to notice that it was the same coat as Eugenie's (and she's got so many coats, it's possible she didn't) she probably thought "Oh, hey! Cool! I have that coat too! Good taste, cousin!"

Princess Eugenie at 5'8" is only an inch shorter than Kate's officially-given height of 5'9". Also, not quite understanding all the hate and meanness directed at Princess Eugenie from those who squawk if someone suggests Kate looks a tad less than utter perfection.

We have read countless praise for Kate by fans and some media regarding her clever strategy of public dressing so that she is not seen wearing outfits that others have worn. This avoids the "who wore it better" comparisons. And keeps her look "unique" according to these folks. Except at this appearance she wore the exact same thing as her cousin in law - an outfit this cousin wore at a public event where Kate was in attendance. Kate intentionally wore a sailboat dress to match the theme of her event - so she was purposeful about what she was wearing. The question you have to ask - did Kate purposely wear this coat so it would draw the comparison to Eugenie? It's a reasonable question. Why assume Kate owned it before Eugenie? Wouldn't her expanding figure make it difficult to determine size? Can you buy a coat in December for your February 7 month pregnancy figure? Knowing that you wanted a white one to go with the nautical theme? It was either a careless or purposeful decision.

royalfan: because it is well-known that Kate was quite a mean girl to B&E prior to her marriage and there is no love lost between them. Kate left Beatrice in tears at her Starlight foundation roller-skate show. Beatrice was found crying in the bathroom by Kate Nichols who wrote a long article in the Dailymail about what happened between them. I am not sure whether the article can still be found, but many tumblrs and blogs still have it in their archives. Look it up. Thereafter, B&E purposefully snubbed Pippa at the Temperley fashion show right after Kate's wedding. The same year Eugenie pushed past Kate at Christmas on the stairs of the church leaving her quite dumbfounded by the looks of it. All of this information is available online. The Christmas video can be found on youtube. I suggest you look it up.

Kate did not and does not have quite the angel-in-white halo-around-her head image those here seem to have of her. She can play with the best of them. And can be as much of a mean-girl as every one of us can. She is not some saint descended straight from heaven.

And as for Sophie: give it a rest. Sophie is a patron of the biggest British fashion houses and has been wearing all the big names for more than a decade. She is one of ths patrons of the BFW and is well-known to be a promoter of British fashion everywhere. Kate is the one following her - Wickstead, Packham and the cosmetic earrings from heavenlynecklaces.com were all AFTER Sophie had been wearing them over and over again. It is laughable to suggest that Sophie is copying Kate. Everyone who is a true royal watcher knows the hierarchy. And it is laughable to suggest what you just did.

So, for god's sake give it a rest. If you are such a fan of Kate's then I suggest you actually get some real information that is out there. Don't pick and choose what you want to know and base your opinion of Kate on that part.

Agree. She is a young women with a toddler, a baby on the way. a husband, a large family on her husbands side and and also a family of her own. I doubt she spends anytime thinking about all the stuff those on these posts suggest she does. If I was living her lifestyle I would not worry. I in my very downsized life (compared to hers) do not have time to worry about others clothes or obsess about my own clothing choices.The people who do obsess about clothes are actually few and far between, and some of the one "upmanship" suggested in these posts may be "possible" but regardless of what the media may post:) I doubt that this goes on. And if it does well we can not change it so why worry about it. :) Ali

Ah yes, Katie Nicholl who specialized in mean girl headlines until W&K's engagement was announced and she realized it would be more advantageous$ to get on board with reality. Why am I skeptical of her as a source? :)

As for telling another poster to give it a rest and suggesting they look it up, well, I think it's rude and uncalled for. Also, accusing someone of picking and choosing information is interesting given that you seem to be doing exactly that. :)

Who on earth looks this good seven months pregnant! Her slim figure and height make her strikingly beautiful, but that smile and her graceful carriage put her over the top. This is a stunning woman who seems to be evolving into a regal presence. Best of all, she looks like someone you would like to know.

I love how happy she looks, and this engagement looks like a lot of fun! I also am happy that she showed us her dress! Very cute with the sailboats.

I noticed her roots as others had mentioned, and I just assumed she's not dyeing her hair because of the baby. Did anyone else think perhaps she is dyeing her eyebrows to match her hair? They seem lighter and brighter to me, and I'm wondering if I'm going crazy or if she did dye them!

LOL, ... prior to reading the comments I didn't even realise there is something like a 'root gate'. Running around with regrowth imperfection - if you dye your hair at all - for a week or two seems to me the most normal thing in the world. But that's maybe a very relaxed, european way to look at it (not saying all european ladies seeing it that way).Well, I don't see any negative style impact here. Although I would have opted for a more formal hairstyle to balance the very casual dress. But overall a lovely outfit. I think white coats are great; partially because they are sooooo impractical, hehe.

She's a lovely and refined woman... who can even keep paint off a white coat and is capable of creating a real sense of movement in stick figures. You really have to dig around to find something to criticize about this person.

This doesn't have a lot to do with the post, but it does fit a little: I live in a small city with no designer boutiques, so when I was in Milan I stopped into a Max Mara store just to see what clothing fit for a princess was like. The clothes were beautiful and the coats were divinely soft. I have a new appreciation for Kate's coats.

I have a camel coloured Max Mara peacoat which I purchased about 6 years ago. At the time it cost me a painful EUR 700 but I don't regret it. A seriously timeless and classic piece and with the occasional quality dry cleaning it still looks brand spanking new. I can highly recommend this brand.

Catherine looks great. The coat fits her better in top than it did Eugenie. But both look good in in. I like the dress. If she enjoys the theme and even 1 person gets a kick out of it then why not. The comments about Leti and Charlotte made me laugh. Charlotte is stunning, no question. we see mostly during modeling shoots or at formal events where she is styled. However on her down time.... Either blah or Yikes is all I can say to her clothing choices. As for Leti. Good looking woman but scary skinny arms that ruin a sleeveless top for me and her clothing choices for day events are like that of an office admin assistant. Safe, predictable, put together and tidy. Never interesting or daring like her role is to purposely not stand out. The woman wears more grey than the nuns in my convent school. She has had some great outfits recently but they are few and far between. She seems to have only figured out what hair conditioner/serum was a few months ago. Prior to that short dry bits of hair sticking up was all you'd see in the pictures. She looks fabulous in red and her evening outfits tend to be much better but how many royals wear leather looking leggings or a jump suit and get away with or a day skirt and white cotton blouse at an evening formal??? Catherine certainly wouldn't. Mary dresses well and quite similar to Catherines style but she is older, more mature in her role and style and that's apparent.

Loved this look on her. She looked amazing. I can tell you it is not easy to look so beautiful when you are seven months pregnant. As for the length of her hair, she has gorgeous hair. She is still a young woman of 33, she should enjoy these years. Thank you, Charlotte, for another wonderful post.

love her look today it simple and lovely too see her coat maybe she loves the coat personally i like princess eugeine more than princess beatrice i love the duchess wore and her dress i do enjoy her engagement yesterday its not easy to look good or beautiful when are pregnant especially if you are in public eye like our own duchess

I think this outfit is in overall quite nice and although I like the dress with a sailboat print I think it could be a little bit tailored to suit her pregnant curves (it looks too baggy for my openion).

Her choices are puzzling. One minute, in NYC, she's wearing regular maternity wear, which is cut and sewn to fit a pregnant figure and which was very flattering. Here, we see her wearing what appears to be larger-sized non-maternity wear and the coat hangs at an odd angle, because it's not cut to hang over a pregnant belly. I think the coat and dress would look amazing on a non-pregnant Kate. However, as someone mentioned, at this point in her pregnancy, the coat just looks big and it makes Kate look bigger than she really is, even with the pregnancy. One thing I did notice, her hair is lighter and it looks like it's had a generous trim - which it BADLY needed. It's lighter due to two weeks in the tropical sun, of course, but it also looks like she's had a bit of highlighting done - which it also badly needed. I don't mind the length but it was looking so lank and heavy and dark there for a while, it just wasn't even flattering, it just hung there like a big dark, heavy mop. There are a number of organic dyes and color treatments that she could use that won't harm the baby. She has access to the best hair stylists, colorists and products the world has to offer so I expect she's found some way to highlight her 'do. Also a little baffled, as others have mentioned, about the navy pumps with what is described as a black/red patterned dress. The look was good on her but she's done better.

Shelby, I wondered same about that. The navy heels and purse look great with the coat. But not the dress in my opinion. I know "matchy, matchy" is out, but having blue navy shoes with black and red dress seems like one who got dressed in a dark closet and mistook the colors.

Does anyone know what Kate does with all of these clothes? Firstly, she seems to wear from different wardrobes for work and private lives. Secondly, she does repeat, but typically only a couple of times. Lastly, she shops quite a bit. I know I personally tend to not get rid of clothes, but I also don't shop very often. So, the question is, where do the clothes go? I'm imagining walking into a massive walk-in closet. That would be fabulous! A display for hats, oh and the shoes! A separate for her gorgeous gowns, and a whole wall length for these coats, obviously organized by color. She has to find uses for all of those rooms in her homes ;) :)

I know this show is ridiculous and not at all realistic, but check out Caroline's closet. It is what I think of when I imagine Catherine's.... http://www.bravotv.com/ladies-of-london/photos/inside-the-closets-of-london

I'm glad you gave credit to Princess Eugenie regarding the coat. I thought the coat looked great on Eugenie when I first saw it and so did the Press who covered that day. Eugenie has a "curvy" figure like her mom so not much she can do about how an outfit falls around her hips, but the coat does look warm and cozy.

I really just think Kate looks tired because of her weight gain. She's always had bags under her eyes, and they were much more prominent pre-engagement, when she was at a heavier weight (nothing wrong with that!) and thus had a fuller face. If you google image "Kate Middleton 2006" it becomes fairly obvious imo. And now she's pregnant and probably has water retention issues, which usually shows in the face. And her makeup choices aren't helping. Eyeliner can emphasize the eyes, but if you already have small eyes, which she does right now because of a fuller face, you shouldn't use so much eyeliner in a way that closes them off more. I think if she went lighter, that would help. But whatever. For a 7 months pregnant woman, or heck, any woman at all, she looks great. And it's just nice to see her doing appearances. I hope she doesn't take the last month before her pregnancy off again like last time!

I think it's actually Royal protocol to take that last month off. Sort of a holdover from the old-fashioned "lying-in period" where ladies stopped going out and receiving visitors late in the pregnancy. It wasn't considered quite nice to let people see you at the point where your clothing is visibly moving from the internal kicking, or something like that -- all that nasty biology... ;-)

That's totally fair, although Diana was at a polo match with Charles less than a week before William's due date. It just seems so terribly old-fashioned to not work in your last month, and I guess I just wish Kate wouldn't uphold such outdated ideals.

Well, many women take the last month off - at least in countries with a decent maternity leave. And it's not about rules, it's about it being tiring and complicated to move around with a 9-month belly.

It just wouldn't work! All those reporters who spent the whole of that last month outside the hospital, would be following her around, hoping that she would go into labour in public.Working until the last moment may be OK if the job is sitting at a desk--but even then they have to get there and there have been a number reported delivering their baby in the street or in one case on a commuter train.

To me it just seems practical. The baby can come at any time then. Better to be at a location close to the hospital and not have things to cancel. Plus, here were we don't have those weird maternity leaves that seems to go on in other countries many women go home the last month to prepare for the baby, both the house but mostly mentally. Doesn't seem so weird to me. You are heavy, hurt, move slow, fatigued etc. Most nap at least once a day. All this is probably bothering Kate by then (and please don't come with the "she doesn't have to do anything herself" argument. Ofc that eases her burden but that pain and fatigue is internal!) and I don't begrudge her to rest at the end of the pregnancy!

Also, good point Jean. They would be like vultures! Considering the videos we saw from before marriage where paparazzi said "Oh, she almost fell. Would have been a money shot" And a reporter of the documentary asking if it isn't illegal to take those pictures the answer was "As long as we don't cause the accident it's fair game" or stuff like that. Considering that was considered money shots, can you imagine the money prize for Kate going in to labor. And what if it is a false alarm and she goes home from an engagement but the baby doesn't come? Enter all "she does anything to get out of an engagement" comments. It's just easier and more practical this way, believe me!

It's more of an "old fashion rules" thing. Like pink/red, your shoes should match your clothing etc. Those rules have been thrown out the door a while ago, but personal preference is obviously valid if you don't like the combination. But those "rules" don't exist anymore.

Oh Gosh, Im always late in posting my comment, but I still want to:) Kate looks lovely and the dress/coat choice was a perfect one,,Charlotte,, is there a video to this event? I dint see one in this post,,,,,Thank You so much!!xoxoAnd a Happy Valentine's Day!

As usual, Katherine looks stunning. Love Max Mara coats and winter white is a great look. So tired of the criticism of her hair length - please enter the 21st century ladies. My mother's in her 50s, wear her hair past her shoulders and looks gorgeous. The only rule is if you have great hair, make the most of it! And are we still debating mixing blue and black? If they do it in Paris, then it's en vogue and chic!

Love the way Kate dressed for these appearances. I'm a big fan of white in winter. It's classy and elegant. And the cut of this coat is lovely. The nautical dress is cute and a nice nod to the group she's visiting. Win-Win!

I got a thought on a possible Kate Loves post. Theme dressing. This conversation about it being cheesy or thoughtful, it would be nice to see a selection of her theme dressing (you know, maple leaf in Canada hat, fern embroidery etc)

I enjoyed Kate's look for this engagement. She looked great in this coat and I thought it was nice that she wore a nautical dress for visiting this group. I like Rebecca's idea above about theme dressing ~ might be fun. Thanks again for another great post and can't wait for the next post.

This is an elegant & classic look. When I saw the dress the first thing I noticed was the geometric pattern and the strong graphical impact combined with a very understated silhouette. I thought it was classic rather than cheesy. Then I was blown away by her working the grinder - these are incredibly hard work! So kudos for her fitness & strength.

In real life when you're at one of these events the fashion is very secondary. It all moves so fast that you just focus on getting a look at Kate and what's happening around her. Portsmouth has a long & very proud maritime history so it's likely that the people who did get the chance to see the dress up close just appreciated the sailing motif and her show of support for a sport & a cause they're passionate about.

Very good post and well explained! I agree. And I didn't realize the grinder was hard work, she made it look so easy. That would explain what happened to make her stop. The baby kicked her really hard :P Must have been a reaction to the workout.

Love it, love it, love everything about the coat and the dress. Most beautiful pregnant woman I have ever seen! Plus I love that she is painting with George. She will expose her children to so much fun!

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